Platform for storage bins



Aug. 28, 1956 R. A. SHAW PLATFORM FOR STORAGE BINS Filed Oct. 19, 1955 INVENTOR.

RICHARD A. SHAW ATTORNEYS United States Patent PLATFORM FOR STORAGE BINS Richard A. Shaw, Greenville, R. 1., assignor to Stackbin Corporation, a corporation of Rhode Island Application October 19, 1953, Serial No. 386,973

2 Claims. (Cl. 248-120) This invention relates to a platform sometimes called a pallet for storage bins, the platform being of that type which may be engaged by a fork lift or truck and lifted with its load for movement to some other location.

Storage bins have usually been positioned in racks which are stacked in side by side relation and surmounted one upon the other to the desired dimensions for the storage desired. These racks are individual units which are arranged for stacking one upon the other. They have never been heretofore so arranged that they could be moved in multiples by mechanical means.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a platform upon which a multiplicity of racks with their containers may be mounted and with which the racks may fit in an interlocking relation so that a group of racks stored side by side and one upon the other may be moved as a whole from one position to another by such mechanical means as by forked trucks or by manually operable wheel trucks.

Another object of the invention is to provide a platform which will be of relatively simple construction and yet one which is strong and durable for use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a platform which will interlock with the racks for storage bins which may be placed upon it or which may be interlocked with storage bins beneath it when it is desired that an entire platform and its group of carried parts may be stored in superimposed relation on another group.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a platform for storage bins shown with a group of racks upon it and with storage bins positioned in these racks, and with a second platform on these racks;

I Figure 2 is a side vow of a fragmental portion of the structure shown in Figure 1 and illustrating in dotted lines a forked lift as being positioned for lifting the platform and its superimposed racks in the storage bins from its floor support;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the platform with the racks and storage bins removed;

Figure 4 is a section on substantially line 4--4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmental edge view showing two platforms, one stacked upon the other.

In proceeding with this invention, I have formed a platform of a pair of open frames positioned substantially the distance apart of a length of storage rack which is to be positioned upon the platform and have connected these frames by members extending in parallel relation and usually at either of the side edges of the platform. Inter-mediate members may also be similarly positioned for strengthening the platform, and extending parallel to the frame and from one member to the other there are bars which are positioned below the top of the frame 2,760,743 Patented Aug. 28, 1956 and serve to receive the fork lift of the platform for moving the whole from one position to another. The upper edges of the frame are of such size and shape as to interfit with the lower portion of the racks which are mounted upon them, while the lower edges of the frame are of such size and shape as to fit upon and receive the upper edges of the rack for interlocking connection therewith.

With reference to the drawings, the platform of this invention is designated generally 10 and consists of a pair of frames designated generally 11, which are of duplicate construction. These frames consist of a channel-shaped base 12 which is of inverted U shape in cross section providing opposite sides 13 and 14 and a bridging portion 15 (Fig. 5). Superimposed upon this base 12 there is a channel which is bent into U-shape, providing a top member 16 and upright members 17 and 18 (Fig. 1). The members 17 and 18 are bent from the member 16 so that the open part of the channel faces upwardly and outwardly in this formation. The uprights 17 and 18 are welded to the base 12 so as to form an open frame structure therewith. The top portion 16 is of a width narrower than the base 12 so that the downwardly facing racks may fit over the upper edge of this top portion as shown more particularly in Figure 2 where the lower forward edge 20 of the rack 21 fits over the top 16 with its opposite edges 22 straddling the edges of the upwardly facing channel top 16 so as to interlock therewith, and in the same manner the bar 23 at the rear of the rack 21 has its side walls 24 straddling the top bar 16 of the frame 11 at the rear of the platform.

These frames 11 at the front and rear of the platform are 'held in spaced relation by connecting members 25 at each of the sides of the platform and similar connection members 26 intermediate thesides. These connecting members are each of sheet stock (see Figure 4) with their edges folded inwardly as at 27 and welded to the frames at the base 12 and the top portion 16 and also along the uprights 18 where the side members 25 con tact therewith. Bars in the form of tubes 30 extend through the members 25 and 26 and are usually in the form of hollow tubes. These bars are located below the upper portions of the top 16 of the frame and are in a position to be engaged by the lifting means. They serve to rigidly support and form the platform.

The lifting means is designated as a forked truck 33, which has the fork lifting member 34 positionable through the frames 11 to engage the bars 30 and then lift the platform with the superimposed racks and storage bins thereon. The platform is of a width to receive a plurality of vertical rows of racks with bins therein, there being shown three rows in Figure l. The base 15 of each of the frames has its walls or flanges 13 and 14 so spaced that they will fit upon the top portion 16 of the platform or will fit upon the upper horizontal member 35 of :the rack 21. Thus, one group, such as shown in Figure 1, may be a lower group, and an identical group may be superimposed upon this group shown in Figure 1 if desired, or the platforms may be stacked one upon the other as shown in Figure 5.

In case one or more of the hand lift trucks is to be used, the wheels may be rolled over the forward base 15 of the platform, and the lift portion may engage the bars 30 to lift the entire structure upwardly to clear the floor and then wheeled to a location as may be desired.

I claim:

1. A platform for a plurality of storage bins having supporting racks with front and back structures, said platform having front and back vertically disposed rectangular frames, each comprising upper and lower cross members and connecting side members, sheet metal members co-extensive with the height of said side members connecting said frames, b-ars supported in and extending between said connecting members, said bars extending parallel with said frames and with each other at a location intermediate said frames and below the level and independent of the upper cross members, said upper and lower cross members-being at a size and shape to nest with the supporting racks for said storage bins.

2. A platform according to claim 1 wherein the upper cross member of each frame is integral with the side members which are bent therefrom and said cross and side members are channel shape in cross section and a second cross member is secured to the terminal ends of References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,739,403 Lundlberg Dec. 10, 1929 2,046,095 Shaw June 30, 1936 2,297,347 Cruickshank Sept. 29, 1942 2,530,752 Arthur Nov. 21, 1950 2,635,762 Shaw Apr. 21, 1953 2,669,373

Coi t Feb. 16, 1954 

